Chitose's Game
by Abandoned Lainey
Summary: Chitose mistakes Mio for Yae, and convinces the Osaka children to play a deadly game of tag. Will Itsuki be able to save Chitose from the malice? Please Review?
1. Hatred

**I do not known the characters or project zero.**

**Chapter One**

**Itsuki**

Silver moon light spilled through the spaces between the bars of my window. I sat in a corner of my 'cage' staring at the strips of light upon the floor, my eyes then shifted to the knocked over desk a few feet away from me.

"Mutsuki...Please forgive me..."

That was the last thing I had said while I was alive. I closed my eyes, wanting to get the memory of my death out of my mind. But it wouldn't go away, no matter how much I wanted it to. I didn't have much to think about, sitting here alone in the small storehouse, if I weren't thinking about my death then Mutsuki's dying face would fill its place. That was worse. I leaned my head back on the wall and stared up at the swinging rope that hung from a wooden beam it filled my mind with images of that day I had committed my suicide.

I could still hear the loud band of the wooden desk hitting the ground, and then┘nothing. Later I had woken up as if I were sleeping, when I looked up I saw the weirdest thing that made jump back and bang my head against the storehouse wall. Hanging from the ceiling was me! I couldn't help but stare, my head was bent at an odd angle which meant it must have been very painful. The funny thing was I couldn't remember if it hurt, or when my life had ended.  
My life had 'ended' which means I shouldn't be here right? Not in this case.

What had pained me the most was that the door had suddenly opened and in came Sae! I stared at her as the color drained from her face and then she started crying. Had they caught her and Yae? I had no idea because I didn't see Yae standing with her. Awhile later the villagers reminded her of the ritual and they walked away without even looking back at me. They had left and I was alone once more, still stuck in my 'cage'.

I sighed deeply and opened my eyes again. Even after my death I was still stuck here thinking about Mutsuki smiling up at me as my hands tightened around his throat. It must have caused him so much pain, but he didn't show it, instead he just smiled. Was this my punishment for not turning him into a butterfly? Even after I had asked him for his forgiveness?

I stood and walked over to the small window and looked out. Across the yard, hovering over the statue of the shrine maidens, were two crimson butterflies.  
I stared at them awhile; they reminded me of my failure. But they also reminded me of the time Mutsuki and I had run around trying to catch one when we were very young.

_"Hey Mutsuki, why do you think those butterflies are so important to our village?"_

_"I don't know Itsuki, but I hear they bring good luck to our village."_

I remember I had smiled at this, while I took a stick and engraved a scribble of a butterfly into the earth.

_"If they bring such good luck to our village then lets catch one and give it to mother. It'll bring our family good luck!"_

_"That's a good idea, Itsuki!"_

I shook my head; I could still see his smile from that day as if it happened yesterday. It made me very sad just thinking about it. Then there was Chitose. I had broken my promise to Mutsuki about helping Yae and Sae escape, and I had broken a promise to Chitose as well. I had once given her bells so when she was scared and hiding somewhere, I told her to shake the small bells and I would always come find her. I wouldn't be surprised if she was angry at me right now.

_"You promise, Itsuki? Will you always come find me?"_

_"I promise Chitose, I would never leave you alone."_

I sank to the ground again as grief washed over me. Why was I such a failure? Why did I have to break promises? Why! I put my head into my hands, trying to keep the tears from coming. As I sat there in silence, I thought in the distance, I heard the chime of bells and a young girl crying out my name.

**Chitose**

I wiped my eyes of the tears that had fallen down my face. I stood a little ways away from the Osaka house, and stared at the lantern that hung by the door.  
As always, it was lit. My eyes weren't very good, sometimes my vision was perfect, but then my vision would blur and I was forced to look at the world through fuzzy vision.

Staring at the light reminded me of the time my brothers and I would sneak out of our house to play hide and seek outside, in the dark. Of course I was scared, but I was also with my brothers so I figured I'd be safe as long as they were always there. I remember they would carry candles so if I was it I would find them by following the lights of the candles. But that was a long time ago. Now everything was so dark and I was always scared because I didn't have my brothers.

I felt my eyes fill up with tears again as I thought about them. I missed my brothers so much. When Mutsuki had disappeared one day, all I had was Itsuki. But then again, he wasn't as cheerful as he used to be when Mutsuki was around. After Mutsuki had 'gone' away, Itsuki had always spent all his time alone in his room, or playing quiet games with me.

Then that time, that time I was stuck in the closet, Itsuki hadn't even come for me. He had promised he would always come find me. I was alone in that dark closet and couldn't get out, so I sat there shaking those bells over and over again, knowing he would come. But he never did. There's one person I blame for that, and that was Yae. She had ran away from the village, but he had done nothing wrong to get locked up in the storehouse! That was why Itsuki didn't come for me; it was all Yae's fault!

"Give me back my brother," I said aloud. "Yae! Give him back to me!"

I collapsed to the ground, and began to cry again. That was one thing I didn't like about myself. I always cried! I always cried when I was scared, sad, or even alone. Why was I so weak? Why do I always cry? Itsuki, why haven't you come for me already? I'm waiting here; I even came down here for you, right outside the Osaka house! Itsuki knew I hated going near the Osaka house. He had to be proud of me; I would have never come here on my own! I opened my eyes again, and stared down at my hands. Sometimes if I looked at them long enough, I could see though them.

I couldn't understand why at first. But after seeing the fact that I could pass through the wall of my closet, I knew. I knew I must have died in that dark, cold closet.  
I remember getting sleepy as I waited; I had leaned back against the wall. I was terrified from all the commotion outside the closet but still my eyes grew heavier and heavier, and I became cold. I kept thinking to myself that Itsuki would come for me no matter what. I thought that as soon as the panic I was hearing outside my closet died down, Itsuki would come and get me out.

But I waited and waited, and soon enough, I had fallen asleep. Never knowing that my life had flickered away like the dying light of a candle. When I had woken up, I discovered that I felt different. When I put my ear against the closet door to hear if anyone was there still, I had fallen though instead!

_"I promise Chitose, I would never leave you alone."_

"Itsuki, where are you? I'm so scared...everything is so dark! Itsuki┘help me, help me!" I cried out loud, hoping Itsuki would hear me and come for me.

Suddenly my body froze as I heard the sound of footsteps, drawing nearer somewhere by the Osaka house. I kept staring in the shadow of Misano Hill, maybe Itsuki had heard me! As I looked on, my vision began to blur again. I rubbed at my eyes, and blinked a couple times trying to get my eyes to work. My eyes often did this, because my eyes weren't very good. Itsuki was always afraid I'd go blind. I saw something move again, just past the Osaka house.

I stood slowly, I felt as if butterflies fluttered in my stomach. My body was telling me to run and hide, but my mind kept saying to stay there, it had to be Itsuki! So I stayed, even though I wanted to crawl into my closet again and wait for Itsuki to come for me. But I knew it was useless, he wouldn't come, no matter how many times I prayed, or shook my bells. I clenched my hands together to fight the urge to run.

Then I saw it. It wasn't my brother, but it was two girls instead. As they stepped into the light of the Osaka house, my nose wrinkled from the weirdness of their clothes. I had never seen clothes like this before! These two were definitely not from our village.

That was what I had thought, till my eyes rose to their faces. I stared, wide-eyed at one of them. It wasn't till then that I felt something stir up from deep inside me, something I had never felt before: Pure hatred.


	2. The Game Begins

**I do not own the characters, or project Zero. I just take credit in writing this story!**

**I'm sorry that it's been forever sense I've updated! I've just been extremely busy...Forgive me please? Please review!**

**CHAPTER TWO**

**Itsuki **

I saw it, the movement outside, just passed the forest. I tried to focus my eyes to look through the thick fog of darkness. Something, or someone had spoken, there were two of them. It wasn't the usual mourner or villager I had come to recognize, each by the screams or crazed laughter. These voices were different, they sounded┘normal. I shook my head; it was impossible. There was no way anyone outside the walls of my cage could be 'normal'. I looked again, the two bodies moved slowly, down the long trail that lead into the village. Who were they? I strained my eyes to try to get a better look. But luck wasn't on my side. They moved far from my view.

_"Itsuki.."_

I blinked, shaking the voice that threatened to rise up from my memories. I held my fists to the sides of my head. I wasn't going to remember. I didn't want to remember. I wasn't going to let his voice break through the barrier this time. As much as I deserved to be punished like that, I didn't want it .Right now I wanted to concentrate on the two girls who had entered the village. My eyes opened suddenly. They entered the village. I shook my head, that wasn't possible. No one should have known about this village. Hell had swallowed it up.

How could this happen? No one outside the village is supposed to be hurt! I dropped my hands to my side; my eyes scanning the small room around me.

_"Itsuki...promise me..."_

I bit my lip harder then I had meant to; I felt pain and I jumped up. Apparently I could still feel pain. But there was no blood, typical. I sighed, getting back to why I bit my lip. His voice was trying to brake through again. I lowered my head. Obviously I wasn't strong enough to forget. Okay, I deserved it. I understand, just let me think for a little bit before I was pulled back under that wave of self pity and hatred.

A giggle made me jump and smash my foot into the knocked over desk. I let out a gasp of pain and was on the floor again, rubbing the injury. The laughter grew louder and I scowled. Obviously they thought I was funny. It could only be three people happy enough to laugh in this village. The Osaka children. I looked up and sure enough there they were, three smiling faces of two small boys and one tiny girl. The only problem with the smiles was, they looked menacing.

Of course they had no idea that they were dead. It was sad really, but I didn't have time to play games with them. Even though they didn't know they were dead; they picked up on a few things that they found different. One: They could walk through walls. Two: They could cause me pain just by sticking a finger through my shoulder. I slid my feet away from the small girl who looked at it with an oddly playful look. That couldn't be good. I knew them all too well.

"Hello white haired twin!" Cried the taller of the small boys.

I felt a stabbing feeling in the pit of my stomach. I know they didn't really mean it, they were just small and innocent. But then again, living the same night over and over again; I wouldn't be surprised if they found out why my black hair turned white. Maybe they were using it against me just for the fun of seeing me in pain.

"Itsuki! Why don't you play with us?" asked the girl on my left.

Her smile looked odd on her face. Evil. I shuddered, glad that hadn't become of me. But then again maybe losing my mind to the malice would do me good. Maybe I'd go so crazy that I wouldn't remember anything. Would I simply fade away as the malice crept into my body and took over? I almost laughed at that thought. Almost. That would be a reward, not punishment. I didn't deserve that.

"Did you turn stupid?" The smaller boy nearly blew out my right ear. I flinched away from him, rubbing at my ear.

"What is it?" I asked trying to sound polite.

It was weird though. I never had to try and act polite before. It was just natural for me. But after sitting here for what seemed like an eternity, that seemed to escape me. I saw the girl step closer to me, well glided was more like it. I couldn't see their feet at all. I shot my head in her direction and she stopped. The creepy smile still on her face. It made her look a little older.

"You know, my mother said it's rude to ignore people." She said her voice was a high pitch now.

I smiled then. How long ago had her mother told her that? It must have been when the light was still in the sky. I'd seen their mother, she was in no condition to say that to her children now. She looked so broken and non-mother-like now.

"I am truly sorry, will you forgive me?" I asked them, trying to be polite.

I frowned slightly, when was polite-ness going to be easy again? Apparently never. There was no hope for this village. None at all.

"Well I forgive you..." the small girl told me her eyes narrowed slightly and then she pretended to be interested in the rope hanging from the ceiling.

"Mother used to punish us for being bad. Only sometimes though." Cried the small boy.

My face froze, it was like I could read his mind. I saw his fingers twitch. Oh no. Not again. There was no way to prepare for the pain that was going to come.

"I don't suppose you could let this time go?" I asked my voice growing more quiet.

I let out an extremely loud cry of pain as three pairs of pale arms grabbed me. The pain was a strangely sharp cold feeling that caused my body to numb and scream out in pain. They giggled loudly now and then the pain ended and I realized I was limped over onto the floor. My face pressed up against the cold wooden floor.

"Itsuki doesn't want to play with us?" Asked the taller boy.

I gasped for breath and shot him an angry look. No way in hell, in this case literally, was I going to play with them.

"Lets go play with Chitose! I saw her crying by our house." The smaller boy piped up cheerfully.

_"If you're not there, then I won't go..."_

Chitose's quiet voice rang in my head, causing me to catch my breath. Did they say Chitose? I struggled to sit up and look at them. I noticed they were planning on a way to surprise her. I felt a little mad toward them. They should know better then anyone that she hated being surprised. Her fragile being looked like it was going to fall apart every time they tried. She'd always end up crying and running into mine and Mitsuki's room.

"Chitose? You're going to play with her?" I asked urgently. I longed to see her face again and tell her everything would be okay. It would make me feel maybe tons better. But I knew I didn't deserve that. Though I had to try.

"Yes." muttered the taller boy. He looked over at me. I blinked and he was gone.

"No! Please would you do me a favor and tell her I'm sorry? Will you?" I asked the girl, I felt an odd sense of hope, but also doubt.

She eyes me then smiled. "Sure I will tell her...If I remember." And she was gone too, the smaller boy followed right after, giggling loudly.

My gaze fell to the floor. I tried didn't I? I let my head fall onto my knees. They wouldn"t tell her. I was sure of it. I had to tell her myself. But how? I was stuck here. There is no way out for me. Alone. Here. Forever. I had no options. This was my fate. To sit here forever thinking of Mitsuki, and everyone else I had failed.

_"Itsuki, you have to promise me! Do not think of anything else but this task..."_

"Mitsuki..." My whispered voice was broken. "I am thinking of that task...how can I not, now?" I let my body fall sideways to the ground.

_"I will never be angry with you brother...I trust you..."_

I let my eyes close. "Will you forgive me even now...Chitose?"

**Chitose**

She came back. She actually came back. I felt my nails start to dig into the palms of my hands. Some nerve Yae had to show her face after everything had been ruined. My face calmed for a moment. It really did feel odd to have such an angry expression on my face. I shook my head. I can't fall to the darkness in the shadows. I promised myself that.

_"Chitose? Have you seen Itsuki?"_

My eyes fell to the ground. That was the last thing I heard my other brother say. He was nervous and his face didn't have that calm look like it always did. What had he needed to see Itsuki for? I always thought that what everyone told me about his disappearance was a lie. Deep down I felt that Mitsuki leaving the village was a lie. Why would he leave without me. Most importantly, without Itsuki?

I rose my eyes to where 'Yae' stood. She wasn't there. Neither was the other one. Had they gone into the Osaka house? I felt the corners of my lips curl into a wide grin.

"The mother will get her..." I muttered. I felt hysterical, why was that? What was I thinking? I wanted the revenge! I wanted my hands to end her life. I wanted her to give me my brother. My eyes widened and I slowly shook my head. This isn't me! I was the girl everyone thought was too quiet. The girl who was overly shy and hid from everyone except my brother.

I don't care. I will make Yae pay for taking the only thing I had left. I wanted her to suffer like everyone else in the village did. It wasn't fair that she should be the one to get away from here.

I felt something cold whipping at my back and I spun around. Nothing. Someone was here, I could feel it. Then, just as I was going to stand up again, two pairs of arms grabbed me from behind, knocking me face first into the ground. I cried out in pain and tears streamed down my face. Laughter erupted over me. I looked up, and saw the three Osaka children smiling widely at me.

"Go away!" I cried out placing my head into my hands. I wanted to run into the arms of my brothers again, like I used to do. I missed that so much.

"Cry baby!" Cried out the short boy, he pointed at me laughing.

"Chitose, won't you play with us?" The small girl asked me. I looked up angry again, my vision blurred. I began to cry again.

"You made her cry!" yelled the taller boy, though I could hear the smile in his voice.

"I don't want to play with you! Get away from me!" I yelled, I could hear the malice in my voice and it frightened me.

"Lets play Demon tag!" cried one, I didn't know who. They always ignored me like this.

"No hide and seek!" This was the small girl; she jumped up and down, excited.

_"Chitose...won't you go and play with the other children?"_

_"You can meet new friends..."_

I closed my eyes tightly. The voices of my brothers made me terribly sad. They weren't here to save me now. I froze, my eyes opening suddenly. Yae's face flashed through my mind and I smiled. It wasn't a happy smile, or even my shy smile. This smile was completely new to me, it should have frightened me if I wasn't so focused on the memory of Yae.

_"Would you like it if I played with you too?"_

She had asked me that once. I was clinging to my brother Mitsuki at the time, shaking my head so fast that it hurt. They wanted to talk in silence┘just the four of them. But Yae whispered something to my brothers. Itsuki and Sae slipped away, but I wasn't about to let Mitsuki leave too. I clung to him as he tried to follow the other two. I started crying when Yae pulled me away and Mitsuki threw me a look that meant he was sorry and he left.

_"I'll stay with you and play...Your brothers have to tell Sae something very important..."_

She took them away from me! I hated her for it. She took everything away from me. I looked up at the three standing around me. If Yae wanted to play┘well, I was going to let her. My face still had that smile spread wide across it. It almost hurt. It was an evil smile I saw only on the crazed villagers.

"You want to play with me?" I asked them, my eyes locked on each of theirs.

"Yes! Let's play!"

"If you want to play...you have to play my game...by my rules..." I said; I stood to my feet and looked toward the house.

'Let's play now Yae...'


	3. Agony

CHAPTER THREE

I do not own Project Zero. I just write this story. Thanks to those who read this!

**Chitose**

I drifted into the Osaka house, my head was lowered slightly and I felt very strange. I had no idea where this courage came from. There was no way I'd ever step one foot into this house, if I was alive.

I heard whispers coming from upstairs and I stopped, I lifted my head upwards, sure enough the weird dressed Yae was headed into the room upstairs. My eyes caught a white flash moving up the stairs, way to fast to be a normal person. My lips curled upwards, but tears were rolling down my face.

"Why…?" A woman's voice sounded at the bottom of the steps.

I turned to see a person standing very still, her head hung forwards, as if it were to heavy to hold up. Then she moved so fast that when I saw her again, she was at the top of the stairs.

"Masumi…"

I blinked and she was gone. When I moved closer to the stairs, I heard giggling and it caused me to spin around quickly. It was the Osaka children. Why didn't they ever do what they were told? I had told them to wait in the room at the front of the house. My plan was to lead Yae there and let the Osaka children have a little fun with her.

"Why are here? I told you to wait." I told them, my eyes finding each face.

"It's boring to wait!" Cried the small girl.

"Yeah! I'm going to go up and surprise her!"

"No! You wanted to play my game right?" I asked, my voice sounded strangely innocent. That was normal, right? I shook my head. I didn't know what was normal anymore. I didn't even know myself anymore. The three of them giggled loudly and I found myself spinning around to see if anyone had heard us. 'Silly..' I told myself. Who'd be listening to us? Everyone else was too busy screaming about a failed 'ritual'. Whatever THAT meant.

"_Itsuki, Mitsuki…I heard mother talk about a ritual. What is that?"_

"_Nothing you have to worry yourself with Chitose."_

Mitsuki and Itsuki ignored me for the rest of the day after that. I was running around hiding in my hiding places, hoping I would catch someone talking about it. But everyone seemed to know or sense I was in the room. I had begun to wonder if that 'ritual' had something to do with Mitsuki's disappearance.

"HIDE!" Screamed the girl and she pushed me.

I fell onto my back, my head going through one of the lower steps of the staircase. As I scrambled to my knees I froze, with one of my hands out in the air in front of me. A crimson butterfly fluttered by my face followed my a girl. My mouth fell open as my eyes shot to the girls face.

Sae. She ran past me like she didn't see me and I cringed backwards out of habit. She stopped suddenly, dressed in that odd outfit, and she turned her head to look at me. I found guilt staring me in the face. She opened her mouth, and I expected to hear her laugh. Her dreadful, unforgettable crazed laugh, I heard all through the village. But instead words came out.

"Forgive me…" Her hand extended toward me and I screamed. "I'm sorry." She said.

I looked up at her just as lightening lit the room. Her clothes seemed to melt in that quick second, only to be replaced by that horribly bloody kimono and laughter escaped her lips. My vision blurred and I threw myself away from her. Sae caught my wrists and a piercing pain surged my body. I saw arms reaching for me from every direction, each one bringing a new wave of pain and visions. I heard voices and screams in my head, I couldn't even hear my own scream anymore. Why was Sae doing this to me? Why?!

"Yae never came back for me…" Sae's voice was faint and I lay panting on the floor, my body out of my control. Sae knelt down beside me.

"Who's fault is it that you are alone? Who took your Itsuki away?"

I felt anger course through my body and I started to shake. I was laying flat on my stomach, my face pushed into the ground. Tears burned my eyes and spilled over causing my vision to blur.

"I want my brother…give him back. Please." The words came out of my mouth in a low whisper.

"Yae hurt little Chitose too?" Her voice seemed to be in my ear, though her laughter echoed in the room loudly.

I struggled to sit up, I felt as though someone was sitting on my shoulders, causing my elbows to shake under the weight, but I knew that wasn't the case. I felt hot like I was going to burst open, and start screaming and laughing hysterically myself. The laughter around me stopped and the anger bubbled inside of me. Yae was upstairs. She knows where my brother is. I didn't even care that the three Osaka children weren't in the room with me anymore. My hands wanted to claw at Yae, to strangle the life out of her.

I was on my feet in a second and making my way upstairs to the room up there. She was trapped there alone, with no way out and I would close my hands around her throat till the life was gone from her eyes. I was crying though. The tears rolling down my cheeks like a waterfall. This wasn't me. It never was me. Had I really let the Malice control me? I didn't want death, though my body did. All I wanted was Itsuki.

"Itsuki…Itsuki…"His name escaped my lips like a chant. "Itsuki…"

I wanted to make myself disappear into my closet and daydream of the happier times. To remember how food tasted, and remember the warmth of comforting hands.

I had stopped suddenly when I heard the faint click of a lock being undone and the door sliding open quickly. My eyes caught the frightened, but strong look of the other girl. The living girl. The one who stole my brother.

"Give him back! Give him back! Why do you steal everything away from me?" I was sobbing when I threw myself forward, my hands stretching for her neck.

She backed up quickly, gasping and she threw a familiar black box up to her face. My hands were so close to her throat! But a flash of a blinding white light threw me back with a strong force. I screamed out in agony as I hit the floor with a loud thud. I felt like the light was ripping away the small flickering life I had left. I felt weak and almost empty.

"Itsuki! Help me! Please!" I cried out covering my face with my hands.

"Mayu!" Yae cried out loud.

I felt my strength get stronger through the anger I felt for her and I lunged at her again. This time making contact, Yae cried out as she fell back into the room, my hands closing around her neck, She coughed and tried to throw me off, only realizing her hands go through me instead.

"Give him back! Give me back my brother!" Tears were falling non-stop from my eyes, blurring my vision, so I didn't notice when Yae reached for the box that lay at her side, her hand hit the button and I was blasted back, falling over the railing and down to the main floor below.

It felt like someone was burning and ripping off my skin, I screamed and rolled on the floor, withering in agony, I saw the flash again from above me and I was thrown backwards. This time I ended up outside. Again, the burning and ripping sensation returned and I screamed out Itsuki's name as I was pulled into a disorienting darkness.


	4. Prison Break

CHAPTER FOUR

**~Itsuki~**

I paced back and forth, over and over again. When I stopped suddenly, I felt dizzy and leaned against the wall and let out a long sigh. How was I going to get out of my prison? I searched the whole room for a sign of a key. But I came up empty handed. If it were brighter days, I would have tried to convince someone to pick the lock. I knew how that would go if I tried now. They'd probably try to strangle me. But that would only cause me great pain and discomfort, not the relief of death. I sighed again.

"_Itsuki, it saddens me that I have to leave you during the ritual."_

"It's a cruel world…" I murmured to myself. Mitsuki was the smarter one of the two of us. He would have known how to get out of here. I began to make my way out through the inner door, when I heard a scream coming from outside. I turned slowly and watched the window. The scream sounded different.

"Chitose?" I said the name slowly, I could feel the adrenaline kick in. It had to be her. The malice didn't have her? I felt my lips curl up into a smile and I rushed towards the window and peered out.

"Chitose! Sister! Can you hear me?" I yelled as loud as I could, my breath turned into fog as it touched the cold air outside.

"Keep screaming like that and you'll get more then just her attention." I turned in towards the room seeing a dark figure standing in the corner.

"Who's there?" I demanded, pressing my back against the cold metal bars of the window.

"Help me…and I'll help you." The dark figure drifted towards me and I swallowed a mouthful of air. It was a woman, one I had seen once before when light still entered our village. Her head hung sideways and swayed back and forth as she drifted towards me. I winced as her neck made an odd cracking noise. What in the world happened to this woman?

"_Itsuki, that woman keeps staring at you…"_

"_Be quiet and ignore her, brother."_

"Please…it hurts." She drifted so close that I had to turn my face away from her broken one.

"What do you want?" I asked, glancing at her from the corner of my eye. I could feel my hair almost stand on end.

"Your hair…it's so white. May I touch it?" Her words came out like a whisper and I moved to the side to avoid her hand.

"I would appreciate it if you leave." I snapped, my patience growing thin.

She screamed and swung her head to look at me. "Help me…" The rest of her words were drowned in a loud, ear-splitting scream. I turned around and pushed the inner door open and began to rattle the main door. Why couldn't I be strong enough to break it open?

"Mitsuki…I need you!" I yelled as my fist slammed into the door again. I felt a cold breeze on my neck and I turned around. The woman was leaned to one side, her head rolling around in a sick way, I felt my stomach twist.

"It hurts! Oh, it hurts…" She was lost to the malice. She no longer spoke to me at all. She was drowned in pain and crazed with malice. I pressed my back into the door and shook my head. Not again. Please not again. An emptiness filled the woman's eyes, but before I could think of what to do next, she lunged at me and I screamed out in agony as the cold pain washed through my body. Screams and fear filled my head and I saw the woman's last moment flash before my eyes.

Her running out onto the bridge that connected my house to the doll makers', her gripping the railing and crying as she threw herself off the edge. Then finally the snap of her neck, the pain was so strong that I felt it myself.

I cried out as my back hit something hard and I landed on my side, on cold ground. It felt like every bone in my body had broken and I rolled over onto my stomach and fought back tears.

A scream sounded from above me, but cut off just as quickly as it had started. I climbed onto my hands and knees and gasped for air.

The ground under me was dirt. Dirt? I looked up. Staring me in the face was the storehouse, my prison, the door wide open, and I was out of it. Next to my hand was the broken, and rusted, lock that had held me in. I reached out to grab it, but it disappeared and I glanced up. My prison was once again, locked. But it's prisoner wasn't in. I let out a laugh and sat back.

"That's it? I win?" I smiled and carefully searched the area around me. Nothing. No sign of the villagers.

I got to my feet and frowned again. I had to find Chitose, I couldn't let her fall to the malice like everyone else. After I found her, what would I do? But the most important question of all was, now that I was out, would I be able to survive from falling victim to the malice? Would I be strong enough? I rubbed the scars at my throat and looked up at the dark sky.

"Mitsuki, wherever you are…please watch over our sister, till I find her." As I spoke, a crimson butterfly drifted passed my face, followed by another. They fluttered lazily down the road, that led deeper into the village and I nodded. It was now, or never.

"_You promise, Itsuki? Will you always come find me?"_

"I'm coming Chitose. Wait for me."


	5. Decisions

CHAPTER FIVE

**~Itsuki~**

I wrapped my arms tightly around my knees as I sat, waiting in between two destroyed buildings. My back was pressed against a flat wooden wall, cold air poured from under the wall and I shivered violently. When was this going to end? I had hidden when I saw a group of villagers floating by.

"The girl…"

"We must catch her…"

"The ritual…must go on."

I held my breath whenever they spoke. I watched them drift around in front of my hiding place and I grew slightly impatient. Apparently they never grew tired. I winced slightly as the pointed end of a broken floor board jabbed me in the thigh. When I looked up I had to bite my cheek to keep myself from gasping. One of the men, the one with the sickle, had stopped, right in front of the small space that was my only exit.

'Please don't look this way…please don't look this way.' I screamed the words in my mind.

"The girl!" One of them shouted and he turned in the opposite direction, I let out a breath that I had been holding for what seemed forever.

A scream pierced the air and I froze. They were attacking someone? Who? Most importantly, why? I flinched as a bright white light nearly blinded me. There were loud yells and screams, then finally, silence. I blinked repeatedly and shook my head. When I could see again I saw a shadow cast in front of the opening and I stared at it, dumbfounded. It was a pair of skinny legs, like the light cast from behind. Then the light moved, and the shadow disappeared. A shadow?

Then a small girl stepped into my view, my mouth opened and closed and I rubbed at my eyes to make sure I wasn't going insane. Or was I? She stood with a hand over her chest, breathing hard, like she had been running. My eyes moved to her face, I squinted, she looked familiar. Why did she look familiar? As I sat, pondering, she looked in my direction and froze. Her hand dropped to her side and her eyes grew wide.

"Yae?" I whispered, my own eyes mimicking hers.

The light in her hands moved over to shine on me and I winched. She let out a soft whimper and ran away before I could think of what to say. I stood up quickly and would have caught her if my leg hadn't caught on a rope and I fell onto my elbows. The side of my face scrapping splintered wood. I reached up and was shocked to see my pale hand glistening with red blood. I died, so why was I bleeding? I stared at my red hand, watching it disappear as if nothing had happened.

"Yae!" I struggled to my feet and ran in the direction I was sure she had took off in.

"_You two go on by yourselves…don't look back."_

Was that all for nothing? Had they been caught anyways? I stopped, placing one hand on a cold wall. The day of my death came back again and for some reason, I couldn't breathe. I grabbed at my throat. I remembered Sae had come back, no, they had caught her. Sae's grief-stricken face filled my head. That meant one thing: Yae had come back for her sister. I sucked in air till I coughed and I kneeled over, choking on the cold air that filled my lungs.

"No, no. Mitsuki!" I said through gritted teeth. Not only had I failed him, but I also failed Yae and Sae. "Where did we go wrong brother? Where!"

"_I wonder if Ryozo received my letter…"_

Was Chitose too late? Did Ryozo not receive my letter before the darkness came?

I slammed my fists in the ground and lay there for what seemed like hours. I wiped the tears from my cheek and looked up. My head felt heavy and I felt oddly sleepy. It felt strange, I hadn't felt this way in such a long time.

"_I'll forgive you brother, no matter what happens."_

No, that's not right. Mitsuki, you have every right to be angry with me. You died without turning into a butterfly. You died in my arms. I couldn't even keep our promise! I rested my head against my knees, I felt tired. Tired and…upset. My eyes snapped open. Why was I angry?

I heard a scream coming from somewhere deeper in the village and I stopped breathing. The malice was working it's way into me. I didn't have a right for a peaceful escape. My supposed 'death' had proved that. I sat there, the cold sinking into my skin as I pondered what had just happened. Do I go and try to find Yae first and help her escape? Or do I find Chitose?

"She returns…" The floating voice cause me to leap to my feet. I took off running, biting my tongue in frustration. This was going to be a long night.

**~Chitose~**

"_He didn't come for you…"_

"_Who is really to blame?"_

"_He left you…alone."_

I woke up. Startled at the voices that rang through my head. I stared up at the ceiling my limbs feeling heavy, and I heard the chirping of birds. I squinted up at the ceiling suddenly confused. Birds? I sat up quickly and peered around me. I was laying near the front door, inside the Kiryuu house. Why was I here? I was terrified of the little girl who lived here, her and her oversized doll. I hated dolls. It seemed like they were watching me, following me as I hurried passed. Just waiting for the right moment grab me.

I heard a loud thud coming from another room and I stood up. That's when I noticed that the house wasn't in ruins. I froze and rubbed at my eyes. Had I been dreaming?

"Chitose? What are you doing here?" A familiar voice came from the open door.

I spun around and saw that it was bright as day outside and in the doorway…

"Itsuki! Brother!" I threw myself into his arms and he let out a quiet chuckle.

"Are you feeling alright?"

"I had the worst dream! I dreamed that you left me. I was so afraid." I looked up into his face and he smiled softly.

"But I did leave you." He said. I stared at him. Had I heard that wrong? I reached up to touch his face and he stood up straight to glance over my shoulder.

"Brother?" I turned to see what he was looking at. I gasped and hid behind him quickly.

Yoshitatsu Kiryuu came walking towards us, a doll head in one hand and it's body in his other.

"The Tachibana children have come to visit. What is wrong with your sister?" He reached an arm toward out towards me and I cringed back, holding onto Itsuki's arm.

"Would you take her?" Itsuki asked him, ignoring his question, I looked up into his face in horror. What was he doing? He knew I hated being here alone, let alone with this insane man.

"Itsuki! Don't leave me!" I pulled on his sleeve and he turned me to face him.

"Why do you keep holding on to something that's already left you?" His face was twisted in anger and I gasped at the sight of him. I had never seen him so angry, ever.

"Go where you belong." he pushed me, none to gently backwards and I fell to the ground.

I let out a cry and opened my eyes, everything was black. I rubbed my eyes and blinked continuously. All I saw was darkness!

"Itsuki! I can't see. Brother don't leave me here!" I began to search out in front of me, hoping to grab his leg, and I saw my arm. I pulled it back and looked at it, and then to the rest of me. I could see myself clear as day.

Something grabbed my shoulder from behind and I screamed and pulled away.

"Why do you run from yourself?" The voice was my own. I turned slowly and was looking at myself, she was kneeling beside me, but the face, my face, was pulled into deep anger. I could almost see the red fire burning in her eyes.

"What are you?" I asked, kicking myself away from it.

"I am you. The real you." She crept closer to me and grabbed my face in her hands. "Give in to me." Her eyes, even the white parts turned jet black and I tried to pull away, I failed.

Malice. That was what was staring me in the face. That was what I had dreaded most. I didn't want to be like everyone else. Angry and in pain.

I screamed out when a hot flash of pain shot through my head and I was falling backwards again.

I then felt cold and I sat up, gasping for air like I had been underwater for a long time. This time I sat in my brother's main room. Where we used to play games. Everything was in ruin once more and I almost signed in relief. Yae's face surfaced in my memory and then the white flash. The white flash from the little box that had burned me so. I felt the anger build up me in again.

"Chitose, fight it." A voice came from behind me and I spun around. Tears welled up in my eyes.

Mitsuki stood in the corner of the room, watching me hesitantly. His body see through.

"Mitsuki, is that you?" I asked reaching for him.

But I couldn't touch him. My hand went through his chest. Tears poured down my face now.

"I am only a memory sister." His face looked terribly sad, and he didn't move from that spot. "Chitose, don't let it suck you in. We can't lose you." He smiled faintly, the edges of him flickering.

"Mistuki, you're here. Please stay with me." I pleaded.

"Chitose listen to me. I don't have much time left. I want you to find Itsuki, do you hear-"

"Chitose…" A female voice cut him off and he disappeared.

When I turned around, Sae towered over me, a wicked smile on her face. She caught my arm before I could run from her.

"Chitose, you're all alone." I winced from her touch and voices began to fill my head again. The voices and then slowly pain struck me so hard that I fell to my knees and screamed out.

"_He didn't come for you."_

"_He was never going to come back."_

"_He never cared."_

I felt a new wave of hatred sweep over me and this time I couldn't brush it away, not even with an image of Mitsuki. It burned my chest and I cried out. Finally Sae's hand slipped from my arm and I was alone. I began to laugh and cry at the same time.

"Itsuki, never cared." The words came from my mouth, but I couldn't stop them. This hatred wasn't for Yae anymore. It was for my brother, Itsuki. "He never cared!"

"That's right Chitose. He never cared. He is at fault for what happened to you." The voice in my head was loud and clear.

"It's Itsuki's fault." I said and I became quiet, a wide smile spread across my face.

"Make your decision Chitose." The voice said.

In my heart I knew that the malice had control over me, and it spoke in my head now. I knew I should disobey that voice. But I wasn't strong enough. I was deep within it's grasp and it wanted me to do the one thing I would have never considered while I was sane.

Kill Itsuki.


End file.
